Clubs Come Together for Cure

Manasquan, Nj — A fundraising effort for Augie's Quest that the staff of The Atlantic Clubs began a few months ago has turned into an industry effort that now involves 800 clubs (as of press time), according to Pat Laus, owner of The Atlantic Clubs, Manasquan, NJ.

Club owners participating in the fundraising effort will conduct an hour-long event at their clubs sometime before June 31 to raise money for ALS research. Augie Nieto, founder of Life Fitness, has been diagnosed with ALS, and the grassroots campaign is an effort to help him in his quest to cure ALS, Laus says.

The effort involves a large number of independent clubs of all sizes, says Laus, as well as multi-unit club companies, such as Life Time Fitness, Chanhassen, MN; Lifestyle Family Fitness, St. Petersburg, FL; Bally Total Fitness, Chicago; Xsport Fitness Centers, Chicago; Western Athletic Clubs, San Francisco; the Alaska Athletic Clubs, Anchorage, AK; and others.

The group has also begun developing strategic partnerships with equipment suppliers and consultants who are developing their own initiatives to become part of the effort. To participate in the effort, club owners can go to www.clubsforthecure.com.